💡 Why it matters: Before anything is built, someone has to measure the land and mark where it goes. Land surveyors also help settle property boundaries and map the world using drones and satellites.
🌍 Around the world
- United States: Jobs for surveyors are projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, faster than average (US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
💰 What it can pay
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Starting out
- ₦1M – ₦2.5M
- Mid-career
- ₦2.5M – ₦7M
- Senior
- ₦7M – ₦18M
≈ ₦208k – ₦583k a month mid-career. Indicative estimate by Incusim.
🇺🇸 United States
Median pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
🇨🇦 Canada
Hourly wage low/median/high x 2,080 hours. Job Bank (Government of Canada), 2023-2024
Yearly pay before tax. UK, US and Canada figures come from the official sources named on each card. Nigeria has no official salary survey, so those are our indicative estimates. Real pay depends on the employer, the place, your skills and experience.
🛠️ What you actually do
- Measure land with GPS equipment and survey instruments
- Mark boundaries and building positions on the ground
- Use drones and laser scanners to map sites
- Turn measurements into accurate maps and plans
- Give evidence about boundaries when there is a dispute
⚡ Skills you'll need
- Mathematics
- Attention to detail
- Using technology
- Outdoor fieldwork
- Communication
Get ready at school
🇳🇬 Nigeria
- Work as an assistant surveyor in the field after your degree or HND
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Degree apprenticeship in surveying: earn while you study
- Start as a surveying technician or assistant, then study part-time
🇺🇸 United States
- Work as a survey crew member or technician, then study for a degree
- Internship or residency with a licensed surveyor, which is part of getting licensed
🇨🇦 Canada
- Work as an apprentice or articling surveyor with a licensed firm while you complete your exams
- Start as a survey technician after a college diploma
🗺️ Your path to this career
- 1Do well in Mathematics and Geography
- 2Study surveying, geomatics or civil engineering
- 3Work as an assistant surveyor in the field
- 4Pass the professional exams or licence in your country
- 5Lead survey teams or run your own surveying firm
⏰ A day in the life
You set up a GPS pole on a field where a new road will go and record exact points. A drone flies overhead to map the area. Back in the office, you turn the data into a map that the engineers and builders will use.